


Khyber Dust

by EnidZsasz



Category: Cyber Punk - Fandom, Reylo - Fandom, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Cyber Punk, F/M, Reylo - Freeform, The Last Jedi - Freeform, force awakens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-08 01:58:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14094558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnidZsasz/pseuds/EnidZsasz
Summary: This is a world where a force known as Khyber is used by people and to power the great empire. The only threat to the empire is the Moon Alderan and its people, and the rebellion it funds. Rey takes a test to become part of the great First Order Academy and passes, taken to the common students. As a military school it has two classes, the elites, the left overs of the planet, Eadu's royal lines and children of those in high places in the military. Rey quickly makes friends in this common class, where whispers of rebellion stir.





	1. The Begining

Rey rolled out of her bed, sliding out from under the upper bunk and landing on all fours with an easy practiced motion of one so used to doing so it no longer even put a shock of pain in her. Around her the few still asleep were being kicked or slapped awake by their overseer, a very large man called Unkar Plutt. Rey glared at the ground as he passed by her wanting nothing more then to kill him. Or at the least beat him bloody, she steadied a young grubby child as they stumbled out behind her, having hidden under the bed after a nightmare. He was the newest here, and still had tear tracks on his cheeks. "Food." Unkar said simply jabbing a fat thumb at the door. They left quickly, Rey gathering up the small child easily pushing to the front. The gray portions they were given tasted of cardboard and they were expected to eat walking to the factory, air chill. However soon it would be blazing; dust kicked up from new sand on the hard packed path, and the sun barely began to light up the far horizon.  
She put the little kid down, pointed wordlessly to the refill cart which he stood by, getting a glare from one of the older children almost as old as her, however there was no arguing. Until the boy could get as fast as them on the line he had to be on the refil cart. They all sat down and waited a tired chatter going through the group. Nervously Rey pulled at her shirts collar, hoping what she did last night made it through. There was a harsh horn that sounded through the factory and shivering in anticipation, of both the work and for lunch when it would show if she finally did it. A moment later Rey's hands moved mindlessly, so used to this it was purely second nature. Push that in, screw it down, pass it along. She took a sip of the water cup on her station as hours seemed to flow by the bedraggled child only refilled the container holding screws in a cart.  
Now in a utterly mindless rhythm she nervously idled a second mind going over-a grating scream echoed behind her and she passed the part along a full second delay. For that, she reflected in the back of her head, she would get a quarter portion and worked quickly getting another glare from beside her. Maybe if she pushed, her stomach growling, she could get a half portion at the least. When another harsh horn sounded through the line she froze, hands twitching as no new part came to her. A glad cry sounded through the line, and the child came along passing out food wordlessly, passing her a whole portion with a smile to her. Before the portion could be missed she downed the tasteless cardboard and looked up to the catwalk above briefly where a new person stood.  
Her heart thumped painfully in her chest, as the child came back leaden with a heavy cart full of water refilling the water bottles on each station. She nearly fainted grabbing for the water and downing half of it quickly. The air having grown hot and sticky, long since used to the smell of oil and sweat she licked the tiny tray her portion came in, and returned it as the new person, a small officious man barked something towards the line. The line went silent of its chatter, and all eyes went to her. "ITS NOT MY FAULT!" Rey cried quickly staring up at him and Unkar. The man stood as far from Unkar as possible, and glared down at her.  
"Did you not hear me?" he asked voice full of disdain.  
"You passed the test!" said the girl beside her, Rey stood in a jolt, and bowed in half.  
"Yes sir! I mean no sir!" she told him quickly, she could feel his glare on the back of her head and flinched at her own stupidity.  
"Gather your..." the man paused, allowing Rey a chance to look up at him. "Things and get on the transport outside." He told her. Rey froze a moment, and lept over the line.  
"NO!" Unkar cried behind her, she didn't pause. "You can't take her now!"  
"Robots do a better job then children." the officious man said, Rey paused just to look Unkar seeming to shrink as he turned to the fat bulk that was Unkar. "I doubt supreme leader Snoke would sit idle at his dispensation being spent on personal..." he looked over Unkar. "frivolities." She didn't care then to listen to the next exchange, running flat out to the small bunk house that had her bed. She lept onto her bunk, grabbing and dumping the shapeless mass that was her pillow, and using the case to toss her few things into it. She ran outside and to where vehicles were idling quietly and froze at the sight of the transport ship. It was one of the newest models, her eyes scanned the gold and black craft. With its long wings tucked upwards and quiet underside engines iddling. It was beautiful, without a scratch on it yet.  
With a bit of shame she walked in, feeling even more grubby and disgusted with herself once she saw the interior. White walls, seamless and white carpet. Just stepping on it felt like she would stain it, but her shoes, didn't seem to make a single effect. Other children no less grubby then her, and no less dirty, sat on large chairs which cast around them. One pointed to the sole empty seat and she threw herself down on it, putting her bag of small things into a bin under the seat. She smiled triumphantly, face almost aching with the used muscles. She buckled herself in and waited impatiently for the ship to take her away from the factory and away from Unkar. No one spoke on the ship, only the occasional cough or sniffle as time wore on. 'I can't believe this.' she told herself, only mouthing the words. She touched the hard fabric of the chair, expecting the grease on her hands to smear on it, but with a feeling like a small charge of electricity it stayed on her hand.  
This had to be her exhausted dream, or her blacked out dream after having passed out on the line, she shivered expecting a jolt of a tazer to run through her. But the officious man, with a sneer walked into the ship with a glare to her. With a hiss the door shut, and after a weightless stomach churning lurch the ship rose up, barely even affecting the man as he steadied himself. She stared out a small window watching Niima disappear from view with such a wonderful feeling it almost made her start sobbing. Now closer to the man she noted he was short, only a bit taller then her, and had a head of firey red hair under a military cap. He wore all black, and stood with a straight back and glared at the all the occupants on his ship.  
"None of you deserve to be in my Academy." he told them, Rey's heart gave an uncomfortable flop. The others hung their head, probably not the first time they have heard this speech. She bristled, as he loomed over her in particularly and glared up at him. SO this was the new Principle, Hux. The new leader of The First Order Academy, and the one who made it so that last year she didn't pass. For now, the only way to pass was having a perfect score on the test. It used to be ninety and above, which she had scored then and worked hard, sleepless on most nights to get that perfect score. "You will all be tested again, and again to PROVE you are worthy of my school." she refused to shrink before him as he continued to loom over her, he blinked and took a step back. "Scum like yourselves do not belong there, and I will prove it." he turned, and touching a small panel a seamless door slid out to the pilots seat, where a single robot sat motionlessly moving, correcting the course with tiny motions. One more seat was there, and the door slid shut, leaving them all alone in the back.  
Rey sighed in relief, staring down the window at the seemingly endless ocean they were now passing over, better to be a beggar in Coriscant, the capital city then to be near Unkar. She smiled brightly, looking briefly to the others, who seemed far far more dower then her. She blinked a frail memory entering her, which she ruthlessly tossed away. They haven't appeared at all in years, there was no reason to linger on them. 'I can find them', she told herself. All records of all births were kept in the Imperial palace, once she passed the schools tests, and graduated she would be put in a place where she could access them and find them. She didn't have to wait anymore. A truly grueling week passed with a blur of pencils paper, and fitness tests. 100 others just like her went through it in a small barracks, only waking for more tests. However, Rey marveled at the food they gave her. Though a few complained about the salty taste, she was in a glorious sort of heaven. She had rarely tasted things such as salt, let alone sweetness as they packed fruit or a small confection on each tray depending on the meal. She ignored the glares of others as she passed them at a run getting to be in the first twenty that passed the line. Hux, with a glare with his too bright blue eyes admitted her and 47 others admitted her, teeth clenched tightly. She was lead by a small robot to her own room down a hall, a small thing barely ten square meters, but hers. It held a latch on the inside giving her glorious privacy which was something she had rarely, if at all had. Given a day, as told via emotionless robot, to acclimate herself to the ground Rey laid down on her bed, waiting impatiently for night to fall to bring this day about. She had placed her things on a small personal self, a ratty doll she had once made, a bit of geometric metal shiny in various colors, and a small blurred photograph of her and her parents. Due to a flaw in the print, only she could be seen, her parents a shapeless mass of color. She held a medal called 'best test' but that was all that could be seen. Background a blur of grey and green. She grined gape tooth and proud at the camera. She'd been good with tests, say for the more constantly changing test to enter this place. Memorizing things came easily to her, as she couldn't seem to forget some things she read. Sneaking out on full moon nights to the small Niima library to read by, for she worked all day. Leg twitching and hands moving mindless over the parts she was used to making she waited for the sun to come up so she could finally tour the grounds without seeming rude she waited and fell into a dreamless sleep. 


	2. First Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day, and first meetings with all the common class.

Rey woke at a soft knock on her door and rolled out of her bed just barely catching herself before her head could crack onto the tiny desk in her room. A small letter was pushed under her door and she stared at it a moment before scooping it up and pulling out the letters inside. First off was her schedule for the next term, as well as a small rudimentary map. She stared at a small welcome letter.

_"Congratulations Rey Niima."_ it said, her eyes narrowed a bit at that. There was some amount of shame in the world to be named for a place as it indicated you were an orphan. _"You have entered the prestigious First Order Academy, every term is four months, and between each term you are expected to have a week of leisure on the Isle Nabo. You are expected to attend to Corellia dance hall at least once. You will be given credits based upon your test scores upwards to 1000 credits, so please use your free time to study. You may spend these credits at the shops and stalls in Cantonica, or in Nabo itself."_ At the end was a robotic scrawl of Hux's signature and the embossed seal of the Empire.

There was a loud ringing, calling everyone out for breakfast. She tucked the letters away, and donned her uniform, one of several tucked under the bed in bins. Black pants, shoes, a pressed black button up shirt with sliver buttons, and a cap. Exiting she cast a look around, most where more lax, and she stepped out now more nervous as it was her first day with the uniform on. From the patches on the left arm, it showed her student number Forty One, under scored by a white and red line, under these a set of small lines. Showcasing, as she noted from what little she gleaned from the others, that she was a common student, as everyone had a white line, but only the few she knew were orphans like herself, had this another line.

There was a desperate lonely sort of feeling to the mostly empty halls as her and the others left to the cafeteria where robotic servers gave them portioned food on trays. She quickly ate the meal, and blinked a bit a the dish washing robot who apparently was a bit overclocked as it snatched the tray from her hands and washed it with one of its many arms, placing the cleaner tray into a sanitizing oven to be used later. She decided to tour the grounds, pulling out the tiny map, deciding to go by the large field where not only was there a track, but also various areas for strengthening ones body. It was there where the showers and private bathing rooms were as well, and from the chatter it was the latter most were going to. Looking over the track Rey reflected the strange fact of how much she did enjoy the forced running she had done, and promised to run at least one of the tracks each day.

To be able to move, to be able to run and do what SHE wanted to was a luxary she barely knew, and smiled as she walked around the hall encircling the track. Even the air was a luxury, faint as the breeze was, it was salty, and almost achingly different then the smell of sweat and grease. She found where there was lighter clothing for running and grabbed a few sets, giving the robotic guardian a wary glance as the day wore on slowly. Ray went back to her room and took a look at her schedule again, telling herself now to grab her books, as it was suggested on the paper. Geopolitics, with a teacher called Mrs. Organa, Orientations with a Moti, Enginering with Jyn, then a short break before lunch happened. But after that English, and languages both with the same teacher, a Mr. Tarken, Sciences, then lastly Biological Science. Before dinner she had two hours of free time, where again it was suggested to spend it studying.

The AI of the robot who sat before the school books almost seemed to be surprised when she asked for her needed books, but it delivered them to her with a fairly grating warning not to mar or harm the books otherwise she would be fined for compensation on to replace them. After taking this load back to her room, stacking them carefully on her desk, she stood with the sudden realization she had free time. Time to do what she wanted to do, her hands itched, and she decided on fulfilling her promise to run a bit, and changed into the lighter clothing to do so. Most people having found friends chatted easily around the grounds as she passed them, she stared after them, far to nervous to try and ran around and around and around the track to work off the energy she had. It was only the loud ringing calling them to lunch that made her lurch to an exhausted stop nearly soaked in sweat as the day had grown warm and humid.

She rinsed herself off and went to lunch, shoving the small confection into a pocket for later eating as an afterthought. The rare time she got them from Unkar she saved them eating them at night as her stomach crawled so she could sleep a bit more easily. Still with far, far to much leisure she went back to the library, hoping to find something to do. Pulling down various books on crafts she scanned them hoping she could keep her hands busy so they wouldn't go over the old motions from the factory. Sewing, she stared at the image of a needle and thread noting that you could use a lot of things as a needle and thread, which she had used so much to keep her few clothes in repair and to make the tiny doll as child.

A sickening feeling filled her, and she pushed it aside, putting all the books back to run another tour again to get all the school rooms into her head. She paused, to shove her hands in her pockets to prevent them from idly moving over the motions as she walked. Finally, finally after dinner, and another small confection in her pocket, she slipped into a hot bath, nibbling at it as she soaked her body. Again there was that sickening feeling of guilt, should she have left? What if the day she left her parents finally came back? Pushing it down and getting herself clean she forced the thoughts out of her head. But Unkar's words still echoed in her head, "they'll come back, so you better stay" he told her. But here, here she could get to her families records, her own records. Everyone knew the empire kept track of everything, from every grain of rice, to every child born. She shivered as night fell and quickly went to her room, latching it shut.

Ray laid her head down, and after years of getting sleep where she could feel into a dream filled slumber. 

* * *

Rey opened her eyes feeling a deep chill and found herself on a small rocky island surrounded by gray black seas. Rain lashed down on her in almost painful taps, and she winced as a huge wave crashed on the island sending ice cold spray on her. Standing up she looked around her heart racing, red threads formed in her vision and she knew that there was something else there on the island with her. With a snap, and a roll where again she barely caught herself before she cracked her head on her desk she woke up, heart thumping painfully in her chest. She grabbed her sheets and threw herself back on the bed the deep quiet of night making all silent say for distant snores of those near her. Calming herself from the strange sort of dream she fell back into sleep, a chill ran through her dreams as she endless created a pile of parts back in the factory. 

She woke, this time freezing herself before she could roll out of the bed and have to catch herself before she cracked her head. A few moments and she had the bed made, and had her uniform on before sneaking a peak out of her room, a few students sleepy made their way out towards the bathing facilities carrying clothes. It was still early from the line of windows above each room down the hall. Shutting the door she turned to her books on the desk and pulling out the little chair at least started to skim through her first class, Geo Politics. 

While the whole world was ruled by the Empire it was divided in power up by local barons who all held utter allegiance to Snoke. Rey recalled the baron, who stared down at them while taking credits from Unkar. They all know he could stop it, Rey shook her head. That was the past now, and despite the sick feeling of wanting to help all the others she had to get in a position to do so. Had to get to someone who would help her, most of the book was taken up by how power was delegated and how the system of power went. While the barons had local power, any high enough ranking military officer could supersede them. However a bit of the book was taken up by talking about something she really didn't know about. 

Causing her to look up even if she couldn't see it, the moon Alderan which housed a lunar colony made longer ago then she, or even her parents had been alive. It attacked ships, and transports who left the planets surface, leaving many dead. It was even said they stole civilian transports to keep their population from degrading. The bell for breakfast sounded and she slapped the book shut shoving it into a small bag and slipped out into a throng of people. Pushing herself up against her door for a moment in shock she filed in with the rest of them, and from the easy chatting of all these people were the others in the school. She took her tray and froze looking for a place to sit as most of the place was taken up by groups and cliques of people, tiredly chatting and talking about various things like who danced with who and what they bought. 

"Hey new girl!" called a male voice by her, she sidled away from the intruder staring at him. He was handsome to say the least with curly dark brown hair and smug, smoldering look. She nodded to him taking a step away from him towards a mostly empty table. "Oh come on here!" he reached for her tray, and she elbowed him in the gut out of pure reflex. "Pfhm" panic crossed her making her freeze. 

"POE!" called a female voice. Rey looked to her, a small dark hair woman smiled at her with almond shaped brown eyes. "Sorry about HIM." she told Rey, and Rey's panic eased out as this 'Poe' grinned up at her rubbing his stomach. 

"Come sit by me?" he asked her and she looked around a bit desperately. 

"Seriously, he is a chaser, Poe stop you're scaring her!" the girl accused Poe he looked to her with a hurt expression. "I'm Rose!" she called as Rey found her escape and took it. No one commented on her elbowing the man even as she hung her head flushing in shame of her action. Everyone at the factory knew not to take another food, if they wanted you to have some you would get some. Downing the food she dodged past the little group with Poe, noting that several other ladies were sitting near him fluttering about him but left to her first class getting to the room before anyone else did. Unsure of what to do she waited by the door, and Poe with a wink to her darted past her into the room as students began to file into the room. Rose walked with a dark man who's face was almost in a perpetual frown, she looked to Rey and waved her in and the three entered the classroom. Everyone chatted easily with each other and Rose pointed by the teachers podium at the front where Rey stood waiting, and almost shaking with nerves at such a position. 

* * *

 

Not a moment to soon Mrs. Organa arrived with the last student, a frail looking young woman who looked like she would keel over in a breeze let alone be able to walk. Mrs. Organa smiled kindly at Rey and helped the frail girl into an empty seat. The teacher wore the same kind of uniform all the students wore excepting she had a short cape on her shoulders and a set of badges on her front. "You're one of the new ones, ah," she pulled out a thick sheet of paper from her pocket and looked over Rey. "Miss Niima?" the last name sent the room into a sort of quiet titter, Rey flushed and Mrs. Organa briefly touched her shoulder. "Find a seat, I'll help you catch up once I get everyone started." Giving a warm smile Rey looked over the class and frowned at where exactly the only empty seat was. By Poe. Mrs. Organa gave a frown and a snort of one far, far to used to this sort of thing to comment. 

Poe looked about as innocent as the most clever of all cats as Rey sat by him. He turned in his seat to her giving her what he must think was a seductive smile. "Miss Niima?" he called lowly. "Care to give me a first name?" she glared at him. 

"Rey." she said simply and stared at Mrs. Organa who was speaking about how the specific power structure of Hoth was different then most places as Hoth was directly controlle by the Empire. 

"Rey, ah... such a lovely name." Poe said and leaned towards her. 

"I AM NOT SOME IDIOT FANDERER." She snapped sharply and loud enough for everyone to hear. She flushed as the class went silent, then burst into laughter turning to her and Poe. She looked down to her desk hiding her flush. 

"What is a Fanderer?" Poe asked her, getting another laugh, now utterly focused on him. He joined in on the laugh giving Rey a truly bright smile. 

"Can we get back to the lesson Poe or should we wait until you are done?" Mrs. Organa asked him with a smile. 

"Don't mind me ma'am!" Poe replied with another titter of laughter going through the students. With a long suffering sigh Mrs. Organa continued her lesson and Rey shot a glare to Poe. After she set the others on a lesson about how power would be delegated if the leader of Hoth was killed, she turned to Rey and stood by her. 

"Alright, how much do you know dear?" she asked kindly. Rey smiled at her and patiently was brought up to more speed, it wasn't that hard for this class. Mostly it was about learning how the power structure worked. "Come by this classroom in your free time if you have trouble, I'll help you." She told Rey as class was over. "I'll be giving you a few days to get up to our place." With a small wave, and avoiding Poe by pressing herself through a group of friends, Rey went to her next class, full of those who were just accepted in just like her. Orientations, evidently a whole class about learning ones place in the world. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rey is about 17, going to turn 18 in the story. Things are going to be explained a bit in the story itself. But if you get confused don't be afraid to look at godhelpmeimareylo on tumblr where I have some backstory on this, or to ask me directly! I love cyberpunk stories and just wanted to write about this sort of thing. Think of Khyber like the force, yet not, its more like magic, but it is still the 'force' as it were as it does exist in all things and only specific people can use it. AH! If i need to edit the tags please tell me! This is my first time using this site! Violence shall come later so, don't worry. I'll warn before hand when it gets violent! RIght now its just introducing the world. If you go the mentioned blog and search the tags for the name of this fic I should have all the posts I've made tagged.


	3. School Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey quickly makes friends and has a birthday falling into something fast and meeting a monster in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is about five days time in here. I want to move things a bit fast so be warned there is going to be some action here, but no real bad violence just yet!

Going to the class Rey noted only those like her with the red mark on her shoulder were heading to the class. The room was small, and hot making everyone uncomfortable they all shifted. "Do you know what this class is?" asked one lowly, then flinched as Moti, a small dark hair man walked in. He regarded them all with the air of superiority that not even Hux had.

"So you are the new nothings." he told them. Rey bristled, and he turned to her as she was the only one who seemed to challenge him. "You. Niima, where are your parents?" he asked her she flinched and looked down. 

"No where." she said lowly. The vague memory of a ship almost floating to the surface of her mind. 

"Then you are nothing. Not even to your own family." he told her, she looked down to hide a snarl. 

* * *

 

A too long while later Rey found herself walking to the next class, engineering. The older woman, hair tied back in a bun and without the usual uniform most wore looked her over. Her features softened. "Moti?" she asked, Rey nodded not able to speak just yet. "Go on and sit and collect yourself." Rey sat down lamely, pressing down on the roiling emotions in her. Mostly anger and an old hurt. 

"Rey correct?" she asked, Rey snapped her head up as the older woman looked at her. 

"Yes." she said simply, and a bit relieved. 

"I am Ms. Erso, but you can call me Jyn." Rey blinked at the name, Erso? A shiver went up Rey's spine. Erso was printed on practically everything Rey ever had a hand in making. 

"You, are, you-" Rey began but Jyn shook her head. 

"My father, not me. I choose to come here to teach." she gave Rey a warm smile as students started to file in. Rose and the dark man from before the only ones she actually knew at this point. "Do not let Moti get to you Rey." Rey smiled a little and as soon as the last student sat down the class began. THIS. Rey found, THIS is something she could do. They were all tasked with making a camera drone, and Rey finished long before the others attempts. "Would you like to help the others?" Jyn asked her, and with a nod went to the dark man who fumbled a bit with the tiny screws to put in the motherboard, dropping them. 

"Here." Rey put all the screws in her mouth, holding them by her lips and quick with a practice motion, pulled one out, holding the motherboard on her lap and screwed the board down into the inner casing. He smiled brightly at her, and their hands brushed a bit once he took back his camera drone, snapping the outer casing on. 

"I'm Finn, thank you." he told her quietly, as she went to another. Now far more smug of her ingrained ability and forgetting all the disparaging remarks Moti put in her head, Rey smiled. 

"Can anyone think of ways to improve these drones?" Jyn asked them as soon as all of them were done, the tiny drones just waiting to be activated sat on their desks. Rey held up her hand and Jyn nodded to her. 

"You could... network them together?" Rey asked. 

"Continue." Jyn replied. 

"Well, if they connect together via a wireless network, then they can work together. Most are singular and dont connect to each other making for a lot of work. But if you have them connect via network, they can even wirelessly transmit data. Allowing for less work. You won't even need to collect them as much." Jyn smiled and nodded to Rey. 

"Very good, in fact that is what is happening today. Most drones you see around the island are of this model here." She tossed one in the air and caught it easily. "They are slowly being replaced by the new iteration which hold khyber infused batteries." Rey blinked in confusion at that word. "These ones are unstable, and can be used as remote bombs as well as all being connected via a network. This leaves them to be hacked as well." Rey turned to Rose who sat attentively, she was the second fastest compared to Rey. 

"What... what is Khyber?" Rey asked her lowly. Rose blinked at Rey. Rose stood. 

"Jyn? Rey doesn't know what Khyber is." Rey flushed at Rose, as all eyes turned to her, Jyn offered a comforting smile. 

"I'm sorry!" Rey said quickly not daring to look up. 

"Its okay. Not every place can use it just yet, or talks about it." Jyn told Rey. "Khyber is... to say the least a form of energy. Unlike chemical, or other energy, Khyber can be used to infuse objects like batteries to make them last longer. This makes them become unstable and be prone to destruction." Rey stared at her confused. "Its not a type of chemical," She said quickly. "Its more of a force. Like wind." There was a buz through the room and the students began to stand and gather their things leaving the drones on the desks. "I can explain on it further later Rey, just note it is a resource the empire values highly." Rey nodded, and Rose grinned at her. 

"I didn't know much about it either." Rose confessed to her. Rey smiled, warming up to Rose at the least. 

* * *

Still sitting alone at lunch she watched the small group as they chatted easily with each other, and glared at Poe as he cast smolders towards her. She never had those she could call friends before and yearned to be able to chat as easily with them as they did with each other. Mostly everyone in the factory were allies, she reflected. The every changing and shifting landscape of hierarchy of who could make the most pieces and get the most food. Rey preferred to ignore it, choosing a mostly middle position rather then the end of the line where she had to not only finish, but place the part in a bin or make the device. Though, she blinked at the memories that surfaced, Unkar did put her on the new things alone rather then anyone else to find out all the places where things would catch as they made them wholesale. 

She shook herself and nibbled on the small confection they gave her at lunch on the way to Mr. Tarken's langauge class, English was actually run by a robot programmed by Mr. Tarken. Licking her fingers iddly of any crumbs or lingering food she blinked at the large room. That gardened some looks and she flushed in shame as she sat down in a large class, and Poe quickly sat down by her with a smug look. "Hello Rey." he said and she ignored him. "You know, you have some coco on your lips." she licked her lips and then resisted the urge to punch him as he chuckled, there was nothing there and she furiously wiped her face on a fabric napkin in her pocket. 

"I'm not talking to you." she snapped flushing. The rest filled in, Mr. Tarken a very much older man stood in front of a wall of various weird scribbling Rey couldn't make out at all. 

"Don't worry Rey I'll help you here." He told her smugly noting her baffle expression as the old man began an oratory in some kind of language. 

"Oh lovey Rey your beau-" Rey punched his arm not looking at him. "OW" he hissed and rubbed his arm. "Now my skin shall bruise, alas," Rey rose her hand again and he quieted. "I'm so abused." he whispered pitifully, and out of his bag tossed a dictionary onto her desk. "Here, i twas going to bargain with a kiss, but I shall settle with a lovely, wonderful..." he dropped off at her glare but smirked at her wagging his bushy eyebrows. "Glare." he said and turned to Mr. Tarken as he asked some kind of question. He replied in a very liquid sort of tongue easily and due to the frown Mr. Tarken had on his face probably something overly dramatic. 

"What have I told you about using Alda Poe?" Mr. Tarken snapped. Poe grinned as everyone looked to him. "Fine, help the girl with her study, you already know everything." He moved to another language and Poe loomed over her brightly. 

"Lets start with the Royal tongue, its usefully for poetic diatribes!" he told her smugly. She flushed again wanting nothing to do with him as he was one of the most infuriating people she was coming to know. But he did help her, in his anger inducing way of slowly rolling syllables about his lips, as she at least BEGAN to understand the tiniest bit of the language Mr. Tarken was currently speaking. Well, at least knowing what it sounded like compared to then ten other languages Poe knew in full sounded off. "Come sit by us at dinner will you?" he asked her, more of demanded as the class ended. She frowned, and decided to just to spite him, as well as have a opportunity to thank Rose for her help. 

* * *

Strangely again, a robot was the teacher for her next two classes, and one, the science one covered a great many more topics segwaying quickly and infuriatingly into mathmatics at any point as she furiously took notes to at least TRY to keep up with the others. Finn, stood by her in a short break between these segways and guided her on what exactly to look up in her spare time, and promised, with her grateful smile to him, to be here in the free time before dinner to help her with Mrs. Organa to catch up on all her classes. A bit overwhelmed at all this help Rey sighed, leaving the last class and went to the track for a brief run to get out the nerves she felt at going to get help from all these people she didn't know. That wasn't something that had ever really happened before, oh she tried with some, but everyone was wary she'd ask for favors and food, and to be honest felt the same to these people expecting them to ask her-she shook herself and went back to Mrs. Organa's classroom where the four waited for her. 

"Come on, lets get you up to speed!" Rose said brightly, and with a sigh of relief as Rose took her in, and was the main tutor rather then Poe, smiled. It was hard, particularly with Poe trying vainly to get her attention away from schoolwork, but making progress the others left her alone with Mrs. Organa as they went to their own free time. 

"So, are you enjoying your classes?" Mrs. Organa asked carefully to Rey. She shrugged at the older woman. "Moti is a hard one I know. But the new robotic ones, how are they?" Rey blinked. 

"Umm, the science ones, they are a bit fast..." she said lowly. Mrs. Organa nodded. 

"I'll speak to Hux, and have Jyn tone them down a bit. Moti sadly can't be toned down, believe me I have tried." she smiled to Rey and relieved Rey chuckled lightly. "Go on, you'll have plenty of time to catch up I promise." Rey smiled and left the older woman, and doing a bit of a walking on the track, smiling to Rose and Finn who were coming out of the bathing area, shot a longing look to the private baths as the buzzer sounded for dinner. After dinner she promised herself, and went quickly to get her food. 

Poe lounged with the others, though very much more lax then others in his uniform, down to a loose undershirt, and the more light pants, the rest meerly took off their coats or unbuttoned them as they gathered their food. She sat across from Poe, near Finn, as Rose scolded Poe about not having his uniform on. Finn piled on a bit of food from his tray onto hers and gave her a bright smile as she stared at him. "You can always get more." he told her. "Took me a week to find that out." he confessed to her. 

"Hey, No one has told me what a fanderer is just yet, now that we are alone, why don't you tell me Rey?" Poe said suddenly turning his attention to her. She flushed at him. "I hope its dirty." he added lowly. 

"Fan belt shuddering." Rose snapped to him, slapping him a bit playfully at his confused expression. Finn hunched shoulders shaking a bit. 

"How is that dirty?" he demanded hotly. Rey dove, making a serious of short shuddering breaths. Poe actually flushed at that, and Finn burst into a laugh. Poe opened his mouth to say something bristling, but Rose cut him off with more laughter at his expression. Rey chuckled, the small laugh coming out of her easily. 

"You didn't put it together Poe?" Finn asked a smile bright on his face. Poe pouted leaning back in his chair. 

"I DID." he snapped. "I just wanted lovely Rey here-" Rey kicked him as he reached for one of her confections. "FINE! I GIVE!" he said dramatically standing up and plucking at his loose shirt. "Obviously everyone just wants to USE me, and my body, berate me! Hurt me!" Rose, Finn, and now several listeners burst into laughter, and Rey finally felt a real laugh bubble through her, almost making her throat ache from not ever having laughed before. 

"You're just trying to get Rey to like your antics." Rose accused lightly. Poe posed. 

"Am I not the best?" he replied iddly. 

"The best at being dramatic." Finn said lowly. Poe laughed with the rest and grinned down at Rey giving up on his antics. He winked to her and left a very pretty lady following in his wake and taking one of his arms out of the cafeteria. With a cheerful goodbye, and a very lovely full stomach Rey went to the private baths, empty of most people now. With a light moan she put herself in the hot steaming water. Hot water, bathing, soap, all were a amble luxary. Even the SOAP, soft and fine scented of some kind of sharp flower smell, was wonderful. Used to the light burning lye from Unkar, she relaxed in the smell of that sharp flower drifting off into darkness. 

Rey felt a shudden shiver of deep cold. She opened her eyes and flinched away from the next salty wave that splashed around her. Red strings flashed around her, and her eyes began to mist in red again. WIth a coughing gasp Rey woke, hacking up hot water from her lungs. She splashed out of the tub eyeing it warily as she emptied it, and cleaned up the area to avoid reprimands and possible expulsion. Heart pounding thickly in her ears she went to her room leaning against the door still dripping water from her hair. Vowing to never take a bath again she pushed herself to bed making herself relax enough by over a decade of daily practice. 

* * *

 Getting up to speed quickly, having almost three hours a day to do so Rey quickly acclimated to the school structure. Though the class with Moti almost always left her feeling hollow and useless, it eased as Jyn actually had her and Rose helping to teach the other students. Given such a position of authority was wonderful. Though Poe offered her 'extra' teaching classes in languages if she massaged his shoulders everyday she ignored him, wanting nothing more the to punch his smug look when he flustered her. Rose ran with her, the little woman hurdling over the mechanical hurdles easily on the track and even helping Rey to learn how to. Finn however, was still quiet and almost seemed a bit wary of her. However, he was endearing, placing his confections on her plate, and even offering to show her how to make them once they had more free time. 

Though curiously, no one talked that much about Khyber again, she shrugged at that decided for the moment it wasn't exactly important. 

A few days passed, and then Rey blinked as the robotic server placed a small confection wrapped in the bottom with colorful foil. "HA-pah-PEE BA-IR-EARTH-DAAAA-ah-EEEEEEE" the robotic sever almost screamed in a fully computerized voice. A small series of a song came from it, and then it quickly turned to the others as Rey confused went to the table with her new friends. 

"You didn't tell me it was your birthday!" Poe accused her dramatically his face in a hurt expression. "Now I actually have to TRY to seduce you!" 

"POE!" Rose scolded noting Rey's baffled expression as she examined the confection. 

"Its cake." Finn whispered to her. 

"I-I never knew my birthday." Rey admitted flushing in shame. But her mind clicked, if the empire knew it, then it DID know her parents. Hope flooded into her, and she quickly smashed it down as Finn put a hand on her shoulder. 

"We'll celebrate it." Finn told her and nodded. 

"After school!" Rose snapped quickly. 

"How about now? I can be quick." Poe asked and stole some icing off her small cake. Rey stopped herself from kicking him, which she did almost every time he tried to steal her food. "I think you are starting to like me." he said smugly to her. She glared at him, and kicked him under the table. "Let me feed you your cake?" he asked her reaching for the confection. She snapped it up quickly and with a quick move smashed it right into his face. The room erupted into a good laugh as Poe sputtering cleaned himself off. 

"In your dreams fanderer." she told him and he grinned to her.

"OH you are ALWAYS in my dreams currently." She flushed, and fled quickly to avoid any questions leveled at her by anyone lest of all her friends. 

* * *

The day was grueling, the first test of the school year she was presented in front of each class and expected to recite everything she had learned and things she didn't even know yet. Moti cruelly had her recite on on utterly worthless she was in front of the others first, making her shake and shiver as she was in Jyn's class expected to put together a drone blindfolded. She was able to, much slower then her usual time even blind, due to her hands shaking. Lunch she tripped due to nerves and had to change her uniform in the ensuing mess making her late and disparaged in her next class. The Robotic science teacher schooled her in math, ruthless as only a computer could be. Finally, FINALLY classes done Rey stood shivering in a mostly vacant hall staring out at a distant hall across the track. 

The set set warmly on her back as she tried to not focus on her nerves and all the missteps and horror of the day. Several distant forms in that hall, fled down the ways parting quickly and leaving only one other there who paused almost at the same place she was. That was the Elite hall, she figured, she and all other common students were forbidden from going there, and from what she recalled of the grounds it was split in half just like this. Red lines crossed her vision, making her panic, but she could then see the person fully. Curiosity putting panic in its place as she picked out features of the man. 

Dressed in a black uniform unlike she had seen, with dark hair and long nose. She blinked staring at him almost as if their eyes met, she rose her hand and waved at him, Raising his hand, and turn-"REY!" Rose called, Rey started leaping backwards, and hitting painfully against the railing before the windows. "Sorry! I'm so sorry for scaring you! I've been looking for you!" she smiled warmly to Rey. 

"Its... its been a bad day." Rey admitted. She glanced back at the hall, her vision normal now, but the man was gone. 

"Come on! Me and Finn thought of a good gift to you!" she said brightly. Rey smiled, and once Rose turned away, looked again to the hall then shrugged at the weird encounter. 

"Looking for the Elites?" Rose asked her, Rey grunted. "They don't pay us much mind until break. Some really like dancing with us, others tend to use it to disparage us." Rose told her. "Poe? He's the most requested of all of us." Rey chuckled with Rose. "Are you really okay?" she asked Rey. 

"I'm just lost in thought." Filling away the odd thing Rey grinned meeting Finn along the way and more easily talking about her day with the two going to Mrs. Organa's classroom. 

"Rey?" the older woman called, and Rey blinked uneasily at the more serious expression on her face. 

"Yes ma'am?" she replied and tensed looking to Poe who stood by the door with Finn watching it for who only knows what like a guard. 

"Have you ever thought about what you want in life here?" she asked Rey. Rose stared at Rey with a earnest expectant expression on her face. 

"I don't know exactly." Rey said as honestly as she could imagine. "I wanted to get away from Unkar..." she supplied. She didn't dare to say something as selfish as her want to find her family. But talking about how she wanted to get rid of Unkar? That wasn't so selfish was it? 

"Do you know of the rebellion?" the older woman asked calmly. Rey's heart gave an uneasy beat. The whispers of students in lunch about how the rebels would steal and work with Alderan to kill or destroy the empires resources and people coming to her mind. 

"Yes? I'm not stupid!" Rey said quickly. Mrs. Organa smiled warmly to Rey. 

"I know you're not Rey. But what do you THINK of them?" Rey looked down. 

"I think they could hurt Unkar, save all the others in the factory there." she said lowly. Gaining a bright smile from both Rose and the older woman. 

"You trust us right?" Rose asked Rey. Rey nodded a confused expression growing on her face. 

"OF course I do! You're my friends... I never had any before." she looked to Finn and Poe. "I don't understand what this about." she said. Mrs. Organa stood in front of Rey. 

"We rebels want your help." she told Rey serious as death. Rey's heart went from just a relaxed beat to a near heart attack. These... all of them? She questioned eyes darting to everyone. They were all tense now, Rey stood. 

"YES! Of course I'll help!" she said, and there was a sigh of relief in the room. 

"Follow with us, we're going to my personal quarters." Mrs. Organa told her and Rey with a grin did so. 

* * *

Ben frowned as the Elite students avoided him, rushing out of the only hall leaving him alone to his pacing, he froze and stared at the setting sun briefly blinded him. The Common hall was empty too say for one person standing there actually looking at him. A quick twist and he could see her far better, and she blinked in confusion before her more hazel green eyes quickly ran over him. Light brown hair, loosely held back and a few freckles on her cheeks, almost to light to be seen. She rose her hand, waving to him and involuntary he did so too. 

"Sir?" called a female voice and he turned, mentally twisting again to shut off that high energy feeling in his head. A middle aged tall blond woman stood stiffly by him. She bowed her head, long cape behind her moving lightly. "There is chatted on the rebellion frequency." she said. "They plan on doing a spying mission tonight to test a newer member." Ben stared at her waiting for her to continue. The Rebels were always using spying to test new recruits, it was an easy way to test loyalty and willingness. "The new batch of testing crystals are done." she said lightly. 

"I'll start on the common students." She gave him a look. "The Elites have so far shown to not be disloyal, all the common students have never been tested, until they show signs. Some of the rebels can be hiding among them." She nodded bowing to him. 

"It will unsettle Hux." she told him. Ben snorted. 

"I will deal with him if it does so. I will test the new comers first, it will give others time enough to make a mistake." She didn't move as he took a step towards the door. 

"The Emperor wishes you to make a move against the rebels, the rest are currently busy quelling the rebellion on Hoth." He grit his teeth but nodding and she allowed him to pass. It wouldn't take long to get ready and get out looking for them. For spying they would have only a few places to check usually the patrol movements of the night guards around the palace. Which is why he had them randomized as much as possible currently. 

* * *

Rey looked down at the heavy clothes before her, easily almost twenty pounds of thick and padded outfit. Red and black colors, with a symbol of a bird rising out on it on the back. "They can't know who you are, better for them to assume we're all guys." Rose explained to her. "If they think you are a girl that narrows the scope of who you could be." Rey nodded, pulling on the pants. Rose helped her get the undershirt on, a thick knitted sweater, and then buckled the heaviest part, the well padded jacket on her. Rey felt a tiny shiver of fear as Rose hit her own chest, there was the hollow sound of metal there. 

"You'll get used to the weight I promise!" Rose said brightly and then handed a whole head helmet. The same bird symbol over the face which was smothed out as much as possible to be nothing more then a suggestion of a nose. The lower jaw however was almost metal grafted over the helmet and contained several canisters on it and tiny filters, due to the padding around the 'neck' of the helmet and the knitted sweater it was as sealed as one could get against smoke and various toxins. 

"DOn't worry," Mrs. Organa said behind her, Rey flinched a bit, and turned her head, helmet and all towards her. It was heavy too. "This is just looking, we are watching the guards about the palace, they've been making some strange movements as of late." Rey nodded, almost dropping too low to the unfamiliar weight. The older woman gave her a bright smile, and helped Rose get her down helmet on. All of the helmets were the same say for wear and tear on them. "Don't ever take the helmet off, they have cameras all over, and will not hesitate to torture you should you be captured. We will get you out from that, if it happens." Rey shivered, and Mrs. Organa took them outside where Finn and Poe waited for them. Rey could only tell the difference due to their height, Finn being a bit taller then Poe. "Stay safe." she told them as the craft, with the most eerie quiet lurch took off, Poe easily lifting the craft up just above the building tops. 

"They never send anyone don't worry." Finn told her, voice modified by something in the mask. She nodded, and not a moment too soon Poe stilled the craft, and they all hopped out. 

"I'll be back in a few minutes." he told them and she got the feeling he winked at her as the craft, all black and very sickeningly quiet left only the light it blocked showing where it was. It was long after curfew, so no one but very few people were about. All lights were off, as the city had no street lights even, any walking used small lights on their person to light their way. The three paused on the outer edge of the elegant house they were on and stared up at the palace. Guards in white heavy armor walked around it, several trading off as the troops passed by each other. Rey blinked away red threads in her vision which sharpened and allowed her to pick out even badges on the chests of the guards. 

Rey froze, a shiver went down her spine and slowly she turned just before a man dropped down from another of those very silent ships. The home shuddered from the impact, and red crackling energy of some sort flashed around him. Finn and Rose agonizingly slow turned to him. "Its the monster." Finn breathed lowly. Rey blinked staring at the man swathed in black, he was tall even at the other edge of the building, and she could even pick out his heavy breathing. 

"I can distract him, Get out of here." Rose said, and charged him, Finn grabbed her arm, not leaving Rey a chance to speak pulled her off the building and dropping five feet painfully onto a very beautifully wrot fire escape. Rose still running at him, pulled out a firearm, and got off a few rounds towards him, which the man avoiding, Throwing himself in a low front roll so very fast she could only blink. He grabbed Rose and threw her, full into a far building, glass shattering as she disappeared into the building. Lights started to flicker on as the man turned to them, and Finn grabbed her, pulling her quickly down the fire escape not even chancing a look up both lept down to the ground and looked around wildly. Almost lightly the man dropped down in a crouch before them, Finn put a arm and moved a bit in front of her. The world slowed again, and her eyes darted around, spying a garbage can by her she saw the man tense red energy crackling around him. 

She reached out hoping it wasn't bolted down, and winced, Heavy gloves not protecting her as she actually easily ripped it off the ground and light as it apparently was threw it at the man just as he lept towards them. The man rolled out of the way, but not fast enough to avoid the edge of the garbage can which clipped him spinning away as time came running back full force. Back peddaling Finn pushed her back, grabbing her hand and running down into a tight alley away. Rose, diving out of the building, and rolling chased after Finn and Rose, all coming to a stop as the man blocked their escape in the small alley. Terror running down Rey's spine she watched as in a stomach churning flash a red crackling blade formed out of a device the man pulled out. 

"DUCK!" Rose yelled, and Finn tackled her down, Rose fired more shots from her gun, the bullets leaving firey trails, again impossibly fast the man blocked one, rolling out of the way, Finn pushed Rey towards Rose and back the way they came, Rose stood holding the gun towards the other end, and then followed them as they darted down another alley. Going down several more, in the rats warren that was the island city they panted in a small area shivered and shuddering. "Extraction at-" rose looked around, and called out where they were, Rey having no idea of the string of numbers and names Rose said, but soon, the silent craft that denoted Poe loomed above them, and they climbed the small apartment buildings fire escape and pilled into the craft rocketing out and away. 


End file.
